Internal communication plan – an element of building a strong company

Effective communication starts with a plan. This, in turn, comes down to formulating goals and strategic and tactical actions to help achieve these goals. Effectively planned internal communication helps send and receive the right information, by the right people, at the right time and in the correct form. Clearly defined guidelines help save time and energy for the implementation of key tasks within the scope of responsibilities. How is this possible? A communication plan makes the communication process itself almost automatic and hassle-free. Which, in turn, contributes to more effective achievement of the company's business goals.

What will you learn from the article?

In a world where the dynamics of change in the business environment is faster than ever, effective communication within the company is no longer just an option - it is becoming an absolute necessity. Properly planned and implemented internal communication not only allows for more efficient team management, but also translates into increased employee involvement and, most importantly, increased sales. In this post, we will present why internal communication is so important, what a communication plan is and how it should be constructed to truly support the business goals of your organization. We'll also discuss common mistakes to watch out for when designing your communications plan. We'll look at the practical steps needed to develop an effective internal communications strategy that will help your company succeed in the marketplace.

Why does internal communication matter?

Organized internal communication is a key element for any organization, as it allows for efficient exchange of information between employees. Effective internal communication, however, requires not only the right tools, but also the development of the right organizational culture. In order to achieve effective internal communication, it is worth investing in training in interpersonal skills, developing an authentic relationship with employees and building an open and transparent feedback culture. All this will contribute to increasing the involvement of the team and the effectiveness of the entire organization.

The planning stage is preceded by an in-depth analysis of the initial situation and the effectiveness of the communication tools used so far. This is done during the internal communication audit. Then the goals and the direction in which we are going are defined. To choose the right one internal communication tools, we must characterize the addressees and determine what type of information we want to transmit and receive to them. An important element of the plan is also to indicate the forms of monitoring the effects of communication and the effectiveness of the tools used. Therefore, plan your communication tools so that you can measure this effectiveness.

Specifying what yours is communication strategywhere and how members of your team are to communicate, you limit the possibility of working in the information noise and chaos. Thanks to this, you also inspire your employees to build valuable relationships. Efficient internal communication it is, after all, essential in achieving strategic and tactical goals. Her the strategy also includes a crisis communication plan.

What is a communication plan?

A communication plan is part of managing each project. It determines how you will communicate the next steps. It can be targeted at one group, e.g. media or shareholders. However, it may also apply to all groups, i.e .:

• shareholders,
• media,
• residents,
• employees (internal communication)
• business partners,
• e.t.c.

Lots of people make simple communication plans without even realizing it! Corporate communication often runs into the same problems over and over. Hence, employers create guidelines for employees, in which they specify which channels can be used to communicate with each member of the team. Thanks to this, it gets better corporate culture and your image in the eyes of employees, as well as the atmosphere at work.

Sales departments also create such plans for customers, because one prefers when marketing communication takes place by e-mail, while others enjoy face-to-face meetings or long conversations. By choosing the right information channel, you prevent a situation in which, for example, important information has been transferred to a company e-mail that no one uses.

Do you need a communication plan?

According to Workforce, 60 percent. of companies do not have a long-term communication strategy. When there is a problem, they react on an ongoing basis by sending random e-mails to customers or employees. This may be enough for you, but it will probably generate a lot of stress. Communication will be delayed, because you have to plan what and how you will tell on an ongoing basis. Having a communication plan, the need to explain the situation at the next stages of the project is not a surprise to you. You can even hire or delegate the right people in advance to complete ready-made templates at the crucial moment.

Your PR department will appreciate knowing specifically and in advance what they need to work on. If you run a business at the intersection of the private and public sectors and your projects affect, for example, the local community, you need to prepare a communication plan. Journalists and activists can request to see this document to keep their finger on the pulse of events. With large projects, everything has to be formal and leave a trace in the documents. You cannot "by the way" notify a friend inhabitant of the area, hoping that the others will somehow find out about the project. You need to designate how you will communicate with them, when you will start and what they will be like marketing communication channels. In case of any problems, you must have confirmation that the meetings have taken place and that information posters have been posted.

It will not always be all of these elements, but it is a framework, proven pattern of the plan. As for the tools needed to create a communication plan, they are very simple. It is often an ordinary document in Word or Excel, which your graphic designer can later graphically cover, giving it a slightly more interesting form. You can also create a communication plan in tools such as Asana, Wrike or Trello, where you specify individual tasks and assign them to specific employees. You can then track your progress and receive a reminder when it's time to act. Of course, you can also create a communication plan on a piece of paper, a whiteboard or a wall sheet.

What are the elements of an internal communications plan?

The key elements of an internal communication plan include: 

1. Goals, considered at the information, motivational and activating level, which should be defined on the basis of a needs analysis. 

2. Addressees, which can be employees of all levels as well as subcontractors, distribution network and business partners, management board and supervisory boards. 

3. Resources that we have or need to achieve specific communication goals (people, tools, ideas), 

4. The budget that we are able to allocate to strengthen the internal communication process and implement individual tools. 

5. Communication tools that should be tailored to the needs and preferences of each target group. These can be, for example, a website, engaging content in social media (photos, videos, texts, infographics, reports), training, meetings. 

6. A schedule in which we assign specific time frames to individual activities, while maintaining the need to repeat some of them and implement them over a longer or shorter period of time. 

7. Results, that is, the indication of expectations in relation to communication and the effects we strive for. Only knowing what exactly we want to achieve can we achieve it. 

8. Assessment of plan implementation and the effectiveness of the tools used, the conclusions of which will help in the creation of further communication plans. 

How to develop an effective internal communication plan? 

An internal communication plan can be developed in a few simple steps. Taking into account the goals you plan to achieve, the resources at your disposal and the needs and preferences of the target group. According to these criteria, select the tools that you will use in building an internal communication system in your company. Not all elements of communication may be necessary.  

Then, carefully familiarize yourself with the capabilities of each tool and train all employees in their proper use. Also define the rules for using each tool - when to use instant messaging and different types of applications, when e-mail, how often to hold face-to-face meetings and teleconferences, what to put on notice boards, and what forms of feedback to expect. 

Describe all assumptions and share the communication plan with all employees, discussing all the guidelines in it in detail. Declare that the presented document is a flexible tool and that everyone has a real impact on its modification. Set up a path for submitting comments on the plan being implemented. Based on the information received, update it and inform employees about each modification made.

Stages of building an internal communication strategy

The first thing you will need is the goal of your communication plan. The question is whether you need to have a positive attitude towards the project in the business environment, or whether you need to reliably inform shareholders about the next steps or enable the flow of practical information. This will make it easier for you to choose resources and tools later. This way it will be consistent communication strategy.  In addition to the obvious steps, such as the selection of audience, media and message, you also need to define the resources and sources that you will use.

Perhaps there is an unused billboard on the company premises or a large-format advertisement can be placed on the wall of the building. Or maybe you have good contacts in the local media. You can take advantage of all of this if you plan ahead in your strategy. Some end up creating their communication plan here. If you want to go a step further, break down the communication plan into specific steps that you can immediately plan and assign to employees. For example, "contact with the media" is a broad term. However, you can break this point into stages: defining the media interested in this information, finding telephone numbers and addresses to the right people, creating an information package, sending information packages, answering journalists' questions ...

What does the communication plan look like in practice?

An extensive communication plan usually takes the form of a table in which you will find fields such as:

• recipients;
• communication way;
• communication channels;
• remedial actions for communication problems;
• communication goals.

They will not always be all these elements, but it is a framework, proven pattern of the plan. When it comes to tools needed to create a communication planthen they are very simple. Often it is an ordinary document in Word or Excel, which your graphic artist can later build graphically, giving it a slightly more interesting form. You can also create a communication plan in tools such as Asana, Wrike or Trello, where you define individual tasks and assign them to specific employees. You can then track the progress, and you'll be reminded when it's time to act. Of course, you can also create a communication plan on a piece of paper, a white board or a wall sheet.

Why is content creation so important?

Content creation is becoming a key element of effective internal communication. It is clear that the purpose of a communication plan is not only to inform employees, but also to engage them and build a strong organizational culture. Clear communication in the company translates into better cooperation between departments and, consequently, an increase in the efficiency of the entire organization.

The advantages of a communication plan cannot be overestimated. It allows not only to improve the flow of information, but also to create content in line with the expectations and needs of the team. Therefore, every company should develop and implement effective internal communication strategies to ensure transparency, clarity of message and, ultimately, success in the market.

Sample plan of internal communication 

The internal communication plan presents specific information and promotional activities relating to a specific project that we intend to present to the recipients, in this case the internal environment (employees, management, investors, subcontractors). It is best to illustrate it on a specific example, which can be a kind of matrix: 

Deadline: first quarter of 2022 

Communication goals: improving communication of the personnel responsible for direct contact with the client, increasing interest in individual promotion channels - Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, website. 

Addressees: management board, sales department employees, customer service employees 

Tools: team building training, training in building a personal brand in social media, updating information posted on the website, conducting engaging activities in social media, organizing regular information and consultation meetings. 

Detailed schedule of meetings and publications (dividing the entire quarter into individual days and assigning individual tasks to specific dates, taking into account their regularity and cyclicality). 

Assumed effectiveness assessment indicators: number of participants in information and consultation meetings, number of trained employees, number of recipients of content on the website and in social media, reach in social media. 

Conclusions, i.e. a discussion of the effects of the application of individual activities together with comments that will help to improve individual processes in the future, e.g. meetings of less numerous groups bring better communication results. 

If the communication activities in your company so far do not work as they should, it is worth carrying out marketing audit. Based on it, you will implement the necessary modifications and start achieving your goals. 

Watch out for these mistakes when creating a communication plan

The first common mistake is the lack of a defined goal for the communication campaign. Neither you nor your employees know exactly what to communicate or why it's important. This favors a situation in which the communication plan becomes just a dead document. Unless you're creating a communication plan just to check this task off your list, avoid cliché in it. When looking through subsequent plans, you can still come across the same slogans, especially in the section describing what communication should be like. Simple, honest and clear – it's obvious! Go one step further.

Set communication standards. Take a look at the communication tools used so far in the organization - do they actually contribute to the implementation of the business strategy? What would help in efficient communication? How can different groups of employees contribute to this? Do you include them in your strategy? After all, internal communication standards apply not only to management. Perhaps improving internal communication should now be a priority in the company's business strategy. Appropriate internal communication translates directly into the achievement of business goals of the entire organization.

Think about how you should actually communicate with other groups. Define the differences and expectations, and then describe the form of communication in detail. This may seem difficult at first, so much so that you may run out of adjectives! Soon, however, thanks to this exercise, you will be able to quickly create tailor-made communication plans, and later draw inspiration and new data from them. If you have a problem with building such a strategy, we will be happy to help you.